ISSUES [discontinued]

11 ➞ big deal

eleven big deal

THE FOLLOWING DAY went by as usual. Nobody mentioned what had happened the night before, but the tension in the air told me everything I needed to know. It was on my family's mind.

"Eudoria, come downstairs!" I heard my mother yell. Well, this is when I finally get scolded.

The padding of my feet seemed so loud as I skulked downstairs. At this point, I was expecting it.

"You're in trouble," Meredith mused with a smirk as I passed by. I ignored her snide remarks and sidled into the kitchen.

"We need to talk about it at some point," my mother said folding her hands on the countertop. "And now is a perfect time. Take a seat."

I sat down in front of her, avoiding eye contact.

"Let's get one thing straight."

I tilt my head.

"You are not allowed to hang out with someone alone anymore. I don't care who it is, whether I know them or not."

I groan and slump back. "Mom, you know I've been in fights before. This isn't new, so why are you treating it like it is?"

"Because you haven't been in one for a while. I never wanted you to start karate in the first place. It's caused far too many problems, and this just proves my point." She looks at me with a look of sympathy. "I get it, all of your friends are in those dojos, and you enjoy what you do. But it's time to step out of the danger zone."

"The danger zone is the only zone I like," I'm hasty to reply.

"We are going to dinner with Johnny and Carmen to settle this. Robby and Miguel will come too."

I scoffed. "You want to stop the problems but bringing them together will just cause even more. I'm sure Miguel will find a way to blame Robby for what happened at the arcade. They hate each other's guts, after all-"

"This isn't about them both," she interrupted. "This is about what happened with you and Robby. Trust me, we're going to find a way to end this all."

I don't say anything else and slide out of my chair.

"We're going at six," she called out as I walked away. "Be ready."

𐬻☯︎︎𐬻

The car is moving silently across the road as we make our way to the restaurant. Perhaps this won't be so bad, minus the whole situation.

"We're here," my mother stops at the parking spot. "Out. Now."

I exited the car and follow her into the building. "We used to go to this place a lot when you were younger," she said cheerfully. "Do you remember?"

I shook my head as we reached the table. Johnny, Carmen, Miguel, and Robby were already there.

"Sorry for the delay," my mother announced, sitting next to Carmen. "We can finally get started on this...issue."